Curious....what stands out?

As a guest: venue, food, climate (if too hot or too cold = not good).

Venues stand out to me right off the bat since it's the first impression you get when arriving! The little personal details a couple includes with the decor, food, and the music/entertainment during the reception also stand out to me.

For the ceremony, I like it when couples write their own vows/speeches to one another!

Its the food for me. I went to a wedding last year it was your typical ordinary wedding and to me it was boring. I'm more laid back and don't care for fancy. But let me tell you what turned the wedding around for me, they had a bunch of pizza delivered after dinner. They had cheesecake, brownies, cookies, little pastries and personal pies. My eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store. Funny thing I'm not a big eater I eat like a bird, but I still enjoyed the array of options. I still talk about it to this day. And I hope I can pull off have just as much food.

The food and the venue for sure.

The overall vibe and atmosphere is most important to me because the main reason for a wedding is to celebrate. I don’t like stiff and stuffy events and prefer mingling and having a good time. Food isn’t a big deal to me, as long as it’s edible. A wedding isn’t a food competition. So, I don’t put a lot of weight on mass produced meals.

Forgot to say that looooong ceremonies or speeches also stand out—not in a good way! 😝

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Agree! I went to a wedding a few summer's back in Texas.....in June.... outdoor ceremony. The ceremony alone was 45-1hr. Some of the elderly guests had to be helped back inside and missed it because it was so hot and the ceremony was dragging LOL My fiance and his friends were soaked by the time we sat down for the reception!

View Quoted Comment Right?! I went to a wedding once in Phoenix... in August... at noon. It was 120 degrees. We all melted in the car from the hotel to ceremony (missed it), and the AC was not strong enough at reception. 🥵 It was miserable and many of us couldn’t wait to leave.

I definitely remember the food haha. i feel like that's what i was focused on for my wedding, i really wanted the food to be good.

As a guest I just remember whether I had a great time with the people there dancing the night away. I don’t remember the chairs or the decor or the flowers were fake or real. I don’t remember the speeches (although I do remember if I can’t hear the vows during an outdoor ceremony), the color theme or what the bridesmaids wore. The best wedding I’ve been to was because of the people I was attending with, the bar, the good music to dance the night away and the photo booth.

Good music, good food, good (open) drinks, and good service. I don’t care at all about decor unless there is a special unique twist (honestly the only centerpiece I even remember is a potted baby banana plant, and I only even remember it because I was the one who got to take it home, and I had it for YEARS). Honestly the most memorable stuff to me is either really special, or really terrible , hah. A really beautiful setting will wow me more than any set up decor. Went to one with a sunset view of the Statue of Liberty, and that’s what stands out the most from that wedding (though I know I had an awesome meal and a very cute NYC themed edible favor)

Unless it’s awful, the only thing that stands out is if the food is really good, because I like to eat! I was at a wedding on Monday and they served lobster rolls - I have ties to Maine, so it was a great nostalgia moment for me.
As long as I can have fun with people, I call it a good wedding.

For me, what stands out is if the wedding is fun. Are people having a good time, is the music good? The best weddings I've been to have been not too formal, and ones where you could tell the bride and groom are enjoying themselves, because everyone around them is too.

Food, music, and how personalized the event is.

I think the only time I've really noticed decor is if it was hyper-personalized (and therefore cool and making me all puddly over my friends), or if the place looked like it was falling down.

I never noticed centerpieces or decor. My big thing is the bride and groom’s ceremony and then seeing they are enjoying their day. I notice if people are mingling and up dancing and having fun! Some of the best wedding receptions were where everyone was on their feet. I don’t even remember the food much at these weddings.

For me it’s always been venue, food and music that have been important to me. We’ve been to weddings and the music was terrible and we left within a short time because we weren’t having fun.

Food, always food. If its exceptional, you notice. If its mediocre, you notice. Don't skimp on providing tasty food!

I also notice the overall aesthetic - not necessarily every little detail but how it all comes together.

And organization. Its really obvious when everything is well thought out, carefully planned, and guest experience is considered throughout the planning process.

I probably notice music too, but mostly if its really bad.

The first impression for me is the venue, and I always notice if it is something interesting, different, or exceptionally pretty. It's hard to impress me in this regard, but every once in a while I end up somewhere really cool.

Next is the food. I am a foodie. Mind you, this doesn't inherently mean lobster lollipops with fennel mousse and caviar ribbons or some nonsense - just good food. I went to a wedding where the reception was catered by an award-winning competitive barbecue chef. The food was jaw-dropping. We're not talking sauce-slathered Sonny's ribs, we're talking fall-apart brisket smoked for 48 hours. Absolutely fab.

Finally, timeline. I notice if I'm sitting around awkwardly for a long period, or if I feel rushed, if I feel like the couple didn't leave enough time for travel from the ceremony to the reception, etc.